Photochromism of Diarylethene Single Crystals: Crystal Structures and Photochromic Performance
Masakazu Morimoto and Masahiro Irie
Chem. Commun., 3895-3905 (2005)
Diarylethenes undergo thermally irreversible and fatigue-resistant photochromic
reactions not only in solution but also in the single-crystalline phase.
This article describes recent development of the single-crystalline photochromism
of diarylethene derivatives. We focused on the relationship between their
crystal structures and the photochromic performance. Photocyclization/cycloreversion
quantum yields, absorption spectra, the absorption anisotropies, and surface
morphology changes are strongly dependent on the conformations and packing
structures of the molecules in the crystals.
Conformer A (blue) : photoactive
Conformer B (red) : photoinactive
